Long-time Solent gaffers Mike and Dan Shaw are just back from claiming another class win in the iconic Round The Island Race. They share their enthusiasm for the event and encourage the rest of us to join in next year. Mark the date – 10th July 2027 now!
Nomad may be one of the larger gaffers, but all sizes are welcome, with the Shrimpers notoriously difficult to beat. Luckily there are 3 gaffer classes, so everyone has a chance, whether you want to race hard, or just join one of the world’s great sailing in company events:
Calling All Gaffers:
Join the Fun in the Round the Island Race
Between Susan J and Nomad, our crews have completed 17 Round the Island Races and no two have ever been the same. Some have also been amongst the most enjoyable sailing days we’ve ever had.
So what makes the event unique?
Most races change course to suit the conditions. The Round The Island course never changes, yet every year feels like a completely different race. The wind direction, strength, tides and weather create a new race track each time.
Along the way you’ll round some of the South Coast’s most iconic landmarks: Hurst Narrows (with the tide under you), The Needles, St Catherine’s Point (When did you last sail along the South side of the island?), Ryde Sands with its church spire that never seems to get any closer, and finally Norris Castle before the finish line.
It is that combination of an iconic course, ever-changing conditions and the spectacle of hundreds of yachts under sail that makes the race so addictive.
There is also an unexpected bonus. With so many support RIBs, drones, professional photographers and enthusiastic amateurs positioned around the course, particularly around The Needles, there’s a very good chance you’ll come away with some stunning images or video footage of your boat. Many gaffers have found fantastic photographs online after the event, often capturing their boat against the iconic backdrop of The Needles—images that would otherwise cost hundreds of pounds to arrange independently. It’s an added bonus and a lasting reminder of a memorable day on the water.
Whether you’re racing hard or simply looking to enjoy one of the greatest sailing spectacles in the world, there’s room for both approaches. Find your own water, sail at your own pace, and enjoy being part of something special.
For most gaffers, expect somewhere between 9 and 12 hours on the water. The beauty is that you don’t need to decide months in advance whether you’ll be racing competitively or treating it as a great day out. Take advantage of the early-bird entry, put the date in the diary (10th July, 2027) and then make your final decision during the week before the race, when you know the forecast and how both crew and boat are feeling.
For us, Round The Island is a fixed date in the calendar, much like Easter, Christmas, or the Solent Gaffers’ Annual Race and Rally. Once the date is set, we simply prepare for whatever race the weather decides to hand us. If we feel it is not the year to take part, we haven’t paid the full price and feel the loss is not great. There’s always next year.
The reality is that the gaffer numbers have been declining. We really need more boats on the line, otherwise we risk losing our dedicated start. That would be a great shame and a real loss for traditional sailing.
And it’s not just about the race. There is plenty of time to be sociable too. We generally avoid the crowds in Cowes and anchor in Osborne Bay, or Beaulieu, depending on the weather. Those evenings are often as memorable as the race itself, with crews sharing stories, lessons learned, triumphs, disasters and plenty of laughs.
Don’t worry about the hotshots flying around in carbon rockets. They do their thing and we do ours. There is plenty of water for everyone and few sights are finer than a fleet of gaff-rigged boats making their way around the Island in style.
If you’ve never done the Round The Island Race before, we thoroughly recommend it. Come for the challenge, the camaraderie, the competition, or simply the spectacle. Whatever your motivation, you’ll almost certainly find yourself wanting to do it again.
So let’s get more gaffers on the start line, keep our dedicated class start and show the sailing world that traditional boats still know how to put on a magnificent display.
Regards
Mike & Dan Shaw – Nomad
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